Let’s take a look at Babyzen Yoyo stroller
This is an older version of the Babyzen Yoyo stroller that we owned. Babyzen recently released Babyzen Yoyo2 earlier this year (2020). It still looks about the same with the previous model. For me, I think Yoyo looks simple and elegant. It’s light, yet sturdy. At only 6.2 kg, it’s a breeze to push around. When it’s unfolded, the dimension of a Babyzen Yoyo is 106 x 44 x 86 cm. It’s not bulky at all, and we can navigate through the MTR station and small space of Hong Kong restaurants easily. Surprisingly, even though it’s lightweight it’s pretty stable. My son often falls asleep in his stroller as the wheel suspension seems to absorb the shock pretty well.
But the biggest selling point for me is that it folds down compactly. It is extremely easy to fold down and to unfold. You can basically do it with one hand swift movement, this is very useful when you are out alone with your baby. It is so compact (folded dimension at 52 x 44 x 18 cm) that you can actually take it on board the plane with you as a hand carry on the aircraft.
Best stroller for travelling
Being able to carry the Babyzen Yoyo stroller onboard the aircraft is really useful as you can keep your stroller with you up to the departure gate and have your stroller immediately after landing. This is really helpful for a tired baby or toddler as usually there’s a long wait and long walk at the airport. If you’re an avid traveler, look no further. This is the stroller for you. With its size folded or unfolded, you can easily breeze through the aisles on aircraft or train.
It’s very easy to maneuver. The front wheels swivel very well and you can maneuver them with just one hand. When you are living in Hong Kong, where most of the pedestrian roads are both narrow and busy, a stroller that can be pushed easily is a must.
Some other pros of Babyzen Yoyo Stroller
Another thing that I think is really cool is that you can buy the color pack separately and change the color of the seat and canopy. Currently, I have the stroller in blue for my boy. In future, when I have a girl I can easily buy a pink color pack to replace on the stroller frame. Or if you have some irremovable stain or seat damaged, it’s easy for you to buy a replacement. You can also completely remove the fabric for washing, which is an important thing. Babies and toddlers can be very messy. You want to be able to wash the fabric often.
On the canopy itself, there’s a small window where you can have a peek on your child.
What else does it come with?
It comes with an original dust bag in which you can store your stroller when it is not in use. This is very handy especially when you are living in a small Hong Kong flat. We don’t have the space to leave the stroller unfolded. Rain cover is included as well. The rain cover is of good quality and does fit the stroller very well. It’s easy to strap on the stroller and with the Velcro fastening it to the frame, it can brace strong wind and toddler’s kick. However, the clear plastic film does get very cloudy over time.
Other accessories you can consider are the Babyzen footmuffs for US$125 to keep your little one warm during cold winter. The insect shield retails at US$24.99 which in my opinion is a little too expensive but it is a very good fitting insect cover to protect your little one from insects.
Let’s have a look at the cons
The first cons are definitely the price. The Babyzen Yoyo stroller is not cheap. We are using the older version of Babyzen Yoyo. Currently, their latest model Babyzen Yoyo2 retails at US$499. Also, this stroller can’t be used from the newborn stage. In order to use it from the newborn stage, you will need to purchase the newborn pack separately which clips on the same stroller frame. Currently, the newborn pack retails at US$199.99 .
Of course, this lightweight and compact folding stroller function comes with a setback. The seats are pretty small. It’s padded enough to be comfortable but the seat isn’t big enough for our chunky boy. Recently Babyzen added footrest into their line of extra accessories for Babyzen Yoyo. We bought this for our son and it added more comfort for him especially for nap time. Although, it’s not very big and the way it works is by clipping it on the frame. When my son kicks them hard enough it doesn’t hold its position. When the foot rest is clipped on the frame, it does not affect the folding of the stroller at all which is a plus point.
At the most upright setting of 115 degree, the seat is still a little too reclined for our son. So he would always try to pull himself forward to have a better view. It gets tiring after a while when he kept pulling himself towards the front. We also find that the safety belt is not made with a comfortable material for young children. It often leaves red marks on my son’s skin. Another cons is that the seat doesn’t lie down flat too. It reclines at most at 145 degrees. So it is not very comfortable when your child needs to take a nap.
One of our wheels also cracked even with minimal usage. The good thing is that Babyzen does sell wheel replacement.
So, is it overhyped? Is it worth it?
If you’re observant enough, you’ll probably notice on a day out that you will find at least one family is using Babyzen Yoyo. It is a very popular stroller in the market, but yes I think it’s a little over hyped. The best selling point of the Babyzen Yoyo is that it’s lightweight yet sturdy and very compact when folded. But does that justify the price? I don’t think so. There are increasingly more strollers in the market where you can fold compactly and bring on the air craft too. Some can even lie down flat and come with a stroller bar.
As a new parent, we bought a Babyzen Yoyo stroller after reading so many mothers out there raving about their Babyzen Yoyo in their blog and Youtube channel. But honestly, after using the stroller we find that the stroller doesn’t justify the price tag.
By all means if you have the money to buy a Babyzen Yoyo stroller, no doubt this is a very good stroller. We loved using it. But if you are tight on a budget, you can probably find something similar in the market for less price.
I hope this article is helpful for you. For more articles on parenting and product reviews, please check out more blog posts here.
Parenting Pain : Honestly this is a good stroller, I just personally think it’s not worth the price brand new. If you are able to find a good deal on a second hand Babyzen Yoyo, I would say go for it.